1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lighting assemblies that employ light emitting diodes (LEDs), and more particularly to LED tube light housings.
2. Description of the Related Art
LEDs have been widely used to mark particular areas, illuminate dark areas, illuminate equipment, enhance the appearances of vehicles, etc. An LED is a semiconductor diode made of gallium arsenide, gallium phosphide, gallium nitride, silicon carbide, or the like, according to the color, the luminance and the intensity. LEDs convert electric energy efficiently into spontaneous and non-coherent electromagnetic radiation at visible and near-infrared wavelengths by electro-luminescence at a forward-biased pn junction. Upon being biased at the avalanche breakdown region, the pn junction forces an LED to emit visible light rays.
LEDs are very rugged and durable, exhibiting extremely long life because they emit light without heat, with no consumable filaments or gasses, having no voids, and perform with little regard for environmental conditions. In addition, LEDs are physically small, do not require high voltages to operate and consume minimal power compared with other active light sources. However, LEDs have several drawback characteristics that must be considered in their use. LED light output is highly directional, e.g., their viewing angle is narrow. Typical viewing angles are on the order of an included angle of only 20 degrees up to rare angles of 45 degrees. Viewed ‘head-on’, within their viewing angle, LEDs can appear very bright. But viewed outside of their viewing angle, LEDs quickly dim and disappear. Although not a problem with cosmetic or indicator applications, this characteristic severely limits LED use in practical or functional lighting. Until recently, LEDs were not a bright light source. This has changed, bringing LEDs into the arena of functional lighting applications, but the viewing angle restrictions of LEDs have remained.
The related art is represented by the following references of interest.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,999,287, issued on Dec. 28, 1976 to Joseph L. Lockard, describes a manually actuated switch. Lockard '287 does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,035, issued on Oct. 30, 1979 to Steven D. Hoyt, describes a flexible lighting strip. Hoyt does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,042, issued on Mar. 10, 1981 to John D. Armitage, Jr. et al., describes an erase apparatus for use in an electrophotographic copier machine. Armitage, Jr. does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,140, issued on May 5, 1981 to Lance R. Kaufman, describes positioning means for optically couplable circuit elements. Kaufman does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,719, issued on Dec. 27, 1983 to Donald E. Orcutt, describes a flexible transmitting guide. Orcutt does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,588, issued on Oct. 23, 1984 to Joseph L. Lockard, describes a light emitting diode assembly. Lockard '588 does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,839, issued on Jun. 4, 1985 to Brian A. Cook, describes a strip lighting system. Cook does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,582, issued on Jan. 6, 1987 to Steve Ching et al., describes an optoisolator leadframe. Ching et al. does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,720, issued on Aug. 2, 1988 to Joseph E. Solow, describes an illuminated tape. Solow does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,172, issued on Aug. 30, 1988 to Virginia R. Nichols et al., describes a light collector for an LED array. Nichols et al. does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,900, issued on Jul. 24, 1990 to Klauss Gartner, describes a lighting fixture. Gartner does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,258, issued on Jun. 25, 1991 to Karl-Heinz Schöniger et al., describes a manually actuated switch. Schöniger et al. does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,413, issued on Mar. 10, 1992 to Gerald M. Goldberg, describes an electric lamp assembly. Goldberg does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,669, issued on Oct. 13, 1992 to Yukio Yamuro, describes a light emitting apparatus. Yamuto does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,729, issued on May 24, 1994 to Hiroo Sakai et al., describes a manually actuated switch. Sakai et al. does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,593, issued on Jun. 14, 1994 to Martin G. Moates, describes a strip lighting system using light emitting diodes. Moates does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,188, issued on Sep. 19, 1995 to Timothy M. Green et al., describes a modular strobe bar. Green does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,459, issued on Nov. 19, 1996 to Robert A. Anderson, describes a light emitting diode array. Anderson does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,306, issued on Sep. 23, 1997 to Allan B. York et al., describes a lighting structure for intensely illuminating a narrow linear region. York et al. does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,940, issued on Jun. 16, 1998 to Robert Levy et al., describes a manually actuated switch. Levy et al. does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,533, issued on Jun. 23, 1998 to Yukio Yamuro et al., describes a flexible illumination tape. Yamuro et al. does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,845, issued on Jul. 27, 1999 to Thomas L. Gustafson et al., describes an integrally formed linear light strip with light emitting diodes. Gustafson does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,072,171, issued on Jun. 6, 2000 to Tetsuroh Nakamura et al., describes a linear illumination device. Nakamura et al. '171 does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,882, issued on Dec. 12, 2000 to A. John Bischoff, Jr., describes an LED semiconductor lighting system. Bischoff, Jr. does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,964 B1, issued on Jan. 9, 2001 to Owen Hsu, describes an ornamental lighting device with a flexibly-shapable light emitting tube capable of portraying user-designed signs in a flickering manner. Hsu does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,534 B1, issued on Mar. 27, 2001 to David Jenkins et al., describes an illumination device for use in image reading applications. Jenkins et al. does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,785 B1, issued on Jun. 26, 2001 to Lino Mallia et al., describes a vehicle light assembly. Mallia et al. does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,600 B1, issued on Jul. 31, 2001 to Tetsuroh Nakamura et al., describes a linear illumination device. Nakamura et al. '600 does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,236 B1, issued on Aug. 7, 2001 to Ingo Brussog, describes an LED lighting unit with a transparent carrier panel. Brussog does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,612 B1, issued on Sep. 4, 2001 to Mark A. Hunter, describes a light emitting diode strip. Hunter does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,334 B1, issued on Oct. 9, 2001 to Martina Schwanz et al., describes a vehicle lamp. Schwanz et al. does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,903 B1, issued on Mar. 19, 2002 to Satoshi Furusawa et al., describes a manually actuated switch. Furusawa et al. does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,904 B1, issued on Mar. 19, 2002 to Shingo Kawashima, describes a linear illumination device. Kawashima does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,361,186 B1, issued on Mar. 26, 2002 to James C. Slayden, describes a simulated neon light using LED's. Kawashima does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
International Patent document WO 97/27450, published on Jul. 31, 1997, describes a position tracking system. International '450 does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
International Patent document WO 99/50626, published on Oct. 7, 1999, describes enhancements in radiant energy transducer systems. International '626 does not suggest LED tube light housings according to the claimed invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.